Dili: In a vibrant celebration of the International Day of Yoga, hundreds of participants gathered at Cristo Rei in Dili, Timor-Leste, to embrace the practice and its numerous benefits. Yoga has been proven to yield immediate psychological advantages, including the reduction of anxiety and stress, while fostering emotional and social well-being. Practicing yoga also serves as a preventive measure against a range of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer, chronic respiratory conditions, and diabetes, which have become increasingly prevalent and detrimental to health.
Over the years, the practice of yoga has been gained wide popularity world over. In recognition of its global appeal, the United Nations declared 21 June as the International Day of Yoga through resolution 69/131 on 11 December 2014.
“It felt great to witness the enthusiastic participation in the WHO’s celebration of the International Yoga Day,” said Dr Arvind Mathur, WHO Representative to Timor-Leste. “The event was a testament to the growing acceptance of yoga as a powerful tool for promoting good health and overall well-being. WHO Timor-Leste will continue to promote physical activity in all forms for greater physical and mental well-being and combatting NCDs,” he said.
The word yoga means “to join” or “to unite”. In her media statement on the International Day of Yoga, WHO Regional Director for South-East Asia, Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, highlighted yoga’s benefits in bringing harmony between mind and body as also between human beings and the nature. “It is well known that Yogic practices such as Yogasanas (Physical postures), Pranayama (Breathing practices), Dhyana (meditation), cleansing and relaxation practices etc. help modify and regulate the responses to stressors and are beneficial in stress and its consequences,” she said in the statement, further adding, “Numerous randomized controlled studies have shown the efficacy of Yogic practices in management of non-communicable diseases like hypertension, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary disease (COPD), bronchial asthma, diabetes, sleep disorders, depression, and obesity.”